Telefónica Deutschland (O2 Germany) announced that it has successfully implemented the Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) within its national LTE network.
Technically speaking, the new voice standard is a further development of AMR-WB (Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband): O2 customers in the LTE network can now make calls in excellent Full HD voice quality. With EVS, telephone calls are transmitted much more clearly and naturally than before – EVS transmits the audible frequency range at up to 16,000 Hertz instead of up to 7,000 Hertz as used to be the case. As a result, EVS means conversations are perceived as clearer, more understandable and therefore more natural. Another advantage is that the new codec allows background noise to be suppressed better than before. EVS significantly improves the sound image compared to previous mobile calls.
To be able to make Full HD calls in the EVS mode, O2 customers need to access to the LTE network and a mobile device that supports VoLTE or VoWiFi. In addition, the device manufacturers must have activated EVS in the O2 network via a current firmware update. For example, Samsung already offers a firmware update for the Galaxy models S8 and S8+ in the Open Market version, and Sony offers a firmware update for the models Xperia XZ1 and XZ1 Compact, Xperia XZ Premium, Xperia XZ2 and XZ2 Compact. Other device manufacturers and phone models will follow in the coming weeks and months, said O2 Germany.
In general, EVS is available to all Telefónica Deutschland customers. In addition, Full HD voice telephony is also possible across networks to the mobile networks of Vodafone and Deutsche Telekom.
Cayetano Carbajo, CTO, Telefonica Deutschland
With the introduction of Enhanced Voice Services, we will offer customers in our O2 mobile network a unique and crystal-clear Full HD voice quality.
